Islamabad, February 18, 2025 – Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Yerzhan Kistafin has emphasized the strategic importance of regional connectivity for Kazakhstan, acknowledging that Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country and that Central Asia, as a whole, lacks direct access to open oceans.At the invitation of the President of the Pakistan-China Institute, former Minister and former Chairman of the Senate Defense Committee, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the Ambassador of participated as a speaker at the international conference titled “Regional Connectivity & Pakistan: Emerging Opportunities.”
The Ambassador also cited President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s principle: “A Successful Central Asia – a Successful Kazakhstan,” stressing its relevance to advancing cooperation with South Asia, particularly with Pakistan.
In this context, he highlighted the special role of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Pakistan, which has the potential to strengthen bilateral, interregional (Central-South Asia), and intercontinental trade.
The event was attended by delegations from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and China, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Government of Pakistan, and the local expert community.
Overall, the conference participants unanimously agreed on the necessity of developing regional transport infrastructure and a shared digital space, both of which are crucial for boosting trade, business relations, tourism, and people-to-people contacts.
The final session of the conference was held at the Presidential Palace, Aiwan-e-Sadr, under the chairmanship of the President of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari.
In his speech, the President of Pakistan also expressed his interest in strengthening cooperation with regional countries and realizing Pakistan’s potential as a transit hub.
